The EU and UK banned animal testing for cosmetics in 2013. However, international trade requirements mean some companies still test ingredients on animals in other markets.
The cosmetics animal testing ban was a landmark animal welfare achievement. However, global market complexity means that some brands certified as cruelty-free in the EU still conduct or commission animal testing in markets where it is required. Transparency about testing practices in all markets is essential for genuinely cruelty-free certification. Animals used in cosmetics testing experience the same suffering as those used in medical research - acute and chronic toxicity tests, skin sensitisation studies, and eye irritation tests (the notorious Draize test). The availability of validated alternatives makes continued animal testing an unnecessary welfare harm.